Trump’s Tariff is the Wrong Way for Trade enforcement — But There is a Right Way

Douglas Holtz-Eakin

American Action Forum President Douglas Holtz-Eakin explains how President Trump’s proposed tariffs is the wrong way to go about trade enforcement and offers a better way in today’s Washington Examiner.See excerpt below:

“In short, these tariffs will result in negative consequences for U.S. consumers, U.S. producers that use imported steel, and U.S. exporters that suffer the retaliation of our trading partners. The tariffs are also destined to be struck down. Similar tariffs imposed by the Bush Administration in 2002 were withdrawn less than two years later, after several nations brought a lawsuit against the U.S. at the World Trade Organization, which ruled the tariffs to be illegal. The Trump tariffs face the same fate.

To be clear, opposition to these tariffs is not at odds with support for sensible trade enforcement measures. The Trump Administration has demonstrated an ability to enforce existing agreements in a practical way, most recently in the case of Open Skies agreements with Qatar and hopefully the United Arab Emirates. Under Open Skies, private airlines in all partner nations have the freedom to make their own decisions about airline routes, the number of flights, the types of aircrafts, and pricing under a “fair competition” clause, in which all airlines are allowed a “fair and equal” opportunity to compete.”